The Rusumo power plant is set up to power Mpanga and Mahama irrigation plans in the Kirehe district.
In October 2013, Rwanda signed a $120 million loan agreement with the Export Bank of India (EXIM Bank) to implement its irrigation project, but the system is struggling as a result of the energy shortage.
The initiative will include the development of at least 7,000 hectares of irrigation in the district’s Mahama, Mpanga and Nyamgari sector.
Currently, the Mpanga irrigation scheme operates below capacity due to insufficient power supply, leaving farmers at a loss during the dry season.
The two Mahama irrigation schemes, which are still under construction, also require electricity from the power plant.
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The auditor recently notified members of the council that the irrigation scheme is stagnant.
The Ministry of Infrastructure said it is seeking temporary solutions while working towards a long-term plan to ensure sustainable power supply for these facilities.
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Felix Gakuba, managing director of Energy Development Corporation (EDCL), a subsidiary of Rwanda Energy Group, said efforts are ongoing to procure generators to support water pumps.
“The generator will run on diesel and is expected to be available within the next three months,” Gakuba told The New Times.
As a permanent solution, a power substation is planned for construction in the Nyamugali sector in the Kirehe district.
“This substation will power all Kirehe irrigation schemes, including the Mpanga region. The contractor has already been identified and is expected to complete construction within 18 months.
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The substation will be connected to the Lusmo Falls hydroelectric power plant, which supplies electricity to Rwanda, Tanzania and Burundi.
Rwanda received an additional 27 MW of electricity from the region’s Rusmo Hydroelectric Power Plant, which is now integrated into the National Grid.
Robert Rama, irrigation engineer for the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resource Development Board (RAB), said Mpanga irrigation facilities rely on electricity from inadequate Luinkwab substations.
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Therefore, he pointed out that transmission lines from the Rusmo Power Plant are essential.
“There are many users on the current transmission line and more power is needed to operate an irrigation pump. Currently, the pump can only irrigate half of Mpanga’s 824 hectares of net area,” he explained.
The first irrigation scheme at Mahama, covering approximately 1,700 hectares, is 68% complete, while the second irrigation covering the second is 64% complete.
“They may be completed by December 2025,” Rama said.
Beneficiaries of irrigation schemes like James Manilijo, a resident of the Mahama Sector, said the project was delayed and affected the project’s expected agricultural production.
Maniliho recalled in 2022 that officials assured the community that the irrigation system would be fully operational within a year.
“They told us two years ago to dig up our fields and prepare for irrigation farming,” he said.
“Now we plant crops during all four seasons, but the sun destroys them and keeps losing money. I was harvesting a ton of corn from my field. After returning from a short trip, I found less than 400 kilograms.”
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Chantal Mukansanga of the Nyamugari sector reflects his frustration with the delay. She said the community initially welcomed the project with high hopes, hoping for improved agricultural outcomes.
“When the project began, we believed it would change our agriculture and improve our lives,” Mukansanga said. “We encourage governments to engage with project implementers and promote their work. We want farming, development and prosperity like others.”
Leonard Bihoiki, Executive Director of Mahama Sector, said:
“They informed us that the delay in the project was due to the nature of the contract and that there would be a need for an update between Exim Bank and the RAB.
“This delay has affected residents who were ready to start irrigation, especially considering this is an area with high temperatures and intense sunlight,” he said.
